People living with dementia and their carers invited to Breathing Space
Kirklees-based organisation Hoot, in partnership with South West Yorkshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, is inviting local people living with dementia and their carers to attend creative workshops as part of the Breathing Space programme.
Breathing Space offers people with dementia and their family member, partner, carer or support worker a range of creative activities to improve cognitive function and maintain and strengthen relationships. It’s proven that taking part in creative activities has positive benefits to mental and physical health and wellbeing.
The Breathing Space sessions gives participants the opportunity to take part in weekly group sessions where they can meet people, make friends and have fun. Sessions include music and song, movement, dance and visual arts.
This latest series of workshops offer accessible group-based movement and dance sessions, which will be led by the Trust’s dance movement psychotherapist Dr Richard Coaten, will involve a combination of moving, dancing, singing and remembering. It encourages feelings of self-confidence and self-esteem and a joy in moving.
Sessions take place on Monday mornings on 22nd April, 29th April, 13th May, 20th May and 3rd June and run between 10.30am and 12.30pm. The group is open to people with a diagnosis of dementia and their family member, partner, carer or support worker and absolutely no previous experience is required.
Hoot is a creative partner of South West Yorkshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust and as a result is part of a growing infrastructure of community organisations who are working with the Trust to provide creative projects to local people. As part of Creative Minds the Trust aims to support voluntary and community organisations, like Hoot, to deliver a variety of creative projects to help improve the health and wellbeing of local people.
Speaking about Breathing Space, Dr Richard Coaten said, “Movement and dance promotes physical health and wellbeing, supports self-esteem and confidence, and is at heart a very sociable activity. In this series of sessions there is no attempt to remember steps from previous weeks, learn any particular technique, tire anyone out, or put anyone on the spot. Simply spend time together moving and dancing and getting to know each other a bit more each week.
Moira Wade of Hoot added, “We are pleased to have teamed up with South West Yorkshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust on this work and share our passion for using creative activities to maintain health and wellbeing. Since Breathing Space began local people diagnosed with dementia have been attending weekly group activities where they can meet people, make friends and have fun. Sessions include music and song, movement, dance and visual arts. We hope to see new and familiar faces at these weekly sessions. We would also welcome referrers to come and see what we do and refer people to a project.”
For more information and to find out how to refer contact Moira at Hoot on 01484 516224.
More information about Creative Minds can be found at www.southwestyorkshire.nhs.uk/creativeminds